Great Neck Elementary School

Q: Is Great Neck Elementary School a good school?

Great Neck Elementary School ranks 151 st of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Great Neck Elementary School is a public elementary school in Waterford, Connecticut, serving 313 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Waterford School District, which is ranked 64 out of 158 districts in the state.

Great Neck Elementary School consistently outperforms the Waterford School District and the state of Connecticut in standardized test scores, with 67.4% of 4th-grade students and 71.9% of 5th-grade students proficient or better in SBAC/English Language Arts, compared to 64.8% and 58.8% for the district, respectively. The school also has a more diverse student population than nearby schools, with 68.37% White, 22.04% Hispanic, and 6.07% two or more races, compared to Oswegatchie Elementary School, which has a higher percentage of White students (74.57%) and lower percentages of Hispanic (15.12%) and multiracial (4.47%) students. Additionally, Great Neck Elementary School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.7 to 11.1 over the past three school years, which is lower than the nearby Lillie B. Haynes School (10.4) and Niantic Center School (11.1).

Great Neck Elementary School has maintained a strong academic performance, consistently ranking in the top 25-30% of Connecticut elementary schools over the past several years, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the recent school years. The school's racial diversity has also been increasing, with the percentage of White students decreasing from 77.08% in 2020-2021 to 68.37% in 2022-2023, and the percentage of Hispanic students increasing from 10.96% to 22.04% during the same period. While Great Neck Elementary School outperforms the Waterford School District and the state, some nearby schools, such as Lillie B. Haynes School and Niantic Center School in the East Lyme School District, also demonstrate strong academic performance and lower percentages of free/reduced-price lunch recipients.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

165 Great Neck Rd.
Waterford, CT 06385

(860) 442-2593

District: Waterford School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
151^st of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $22,337

Students who attend Great Neck Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Clark Lane Middle School
High:	Waterford High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.0

Number of students: 334

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.1%

Hispanic:

16.2%

Two or more races:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 24.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Great Neck Elementary School ranks better than 69.6% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Waterford School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.77. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (73.1%), Hispanic (16.2%), two or more races (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 24.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Waterford School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Great Neck Elementary School is 11, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Waterford School District! (See more...)

Compare Great Neck Elementary School employs 30.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Great Neck Elementary School is $22,337. 1 elementary schools in the Waterford School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Great Neck Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Great Neck Elementary School 151^st of 497 Connecticut public elementary schools. (See Great Neck Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Waterford School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterford School District 64^th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Great Neck Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Great Neck Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2013	69.68	223^rd	557	60.0%
2015	72.58	187^th	551	66.1%
2016	72.92	156^th	518	69.9%
2017	80.81	118^th	519	77.3%
2018	73.96	157^th	532	70.5%
2019	82.94	94^th	522	82.0%
2021	77.65	137^th	538	74.5%
2022	77.61	119^th	490	75.7%
2023	80.37	112^th	491	77.2%
2024	73.77	151^st	497	69.6%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Great Neck Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	75.14	73^rd	259	71.8%
2021	79.43	95^th	455	79.1%
2022	68.63	101^st	234	56.8%
2023	82.51	45^th	230	80.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Great Neck Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	66.91	113^th	262	56.9%
2019	73.55	83^rd	247	66.4%
2021	65.66	154^th	445	65.4%
2022	59.33	126^th	232	45.7%
2023	61.66	117^th	231	49.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Great Neck Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	51.86	162^nd	296	45.3%
2019	73.52	69^th	295	76.6%
2021	62.85	127^th	327	61.2%
2022	56.94	128^th	252	49.2%
2023	62.12	115^th	262	56.1%
2024	45.11	169^th	250	32.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Connecticut Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, March 27, 2019

the best school hands down. we have a child there now and one that just went to middle school. they are great. the teachers are all excellent with the children. they learn so much. the school very clean. we you go there you are greeted with a smile. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Great Neck Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2011	334	8	17	24	1	0	0	384
2012	302	3	13	27	1	0	5	351
2013	292	5	17	33	0	0	6	353
2014	277	6	15	29	0	0	12	339
2015	282	8	12	25	0	0	13	340
2016	264	8	8	20	0	0	14	314
2017	248	6	8	27	0	1	10	300
2018	266	6	14	39	0	0	16	341
2019	247	9	13	36	0	0	11	316
2020	243	9	16	34	0	0	14	316
2021	232	3	15	33	0	1	17	301
2022	238	5	12	38	0	1	16	310
2023	214	2	8	69	0	1	19	313
2024	244	2	7	54	0	1	26	334

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Great Neck Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	384	32.1	11.9	15.6
2012	351	29.2	12.0	17.4
2013	353	30.1	11.6	17.8
2014	339	26.0	12.9	20.6
2015	340	28.0	12.1	23.2
2016	314	27.0	11.6	25.2
2017	300	26.1	11.4	24.7
2018	341	30.0	11.3	22.9
2019	316	32.7	9.6	29.1
2020	316	30.6	10.2	32.6
2021	301	28.0	10.7	27.6
2022	310	27.8	11.1	26.8
2023	313	28.8	10.8	24.9
2024	334	30.1	11.0	24.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Great Neck Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	384	32.1	11.9	15.6
2012	351	29.2	12.0	17.4
2013	353	30.1	11.6	17.8
2014	339	26.0	12.9	20.6
2015	340	28.0	12.1	23.2
2016	314	27.0	11.6	25.2
2017	300	26.1	11.4	24.7
2018	341	30.0	11.3	22.9
2019	316	32.7	9.6	29.1
2020	316	30.6	10.2	32.6
2021	301	28.0	10.7	27.6
2022	310	27.8	11.1	26.8
2023	313	28.8	10.8	24.9
2024	334	30.1	11.0	24.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Great Neck Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$18,838
2019	$19,557
2020	$19,772
2021	$21,081
2022	$21,587
2023	$22,337

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Great Neck Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 94^th of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 112^th of 491 Elementary schools	4.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Great Neck Elementary School)	76	60.3	15.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waterford School District)	75.1	67.3	7.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.3	46.7	7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Great Neck Elementary School)	82	70.8	11.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Waterford School District)	77.8	74.7	3.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	55	49.8	5.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Great Neck Elementary School)	63.6	77.1	13.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Waterford School District)	65.7	64.4	1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	52.5	45.3	7.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Great Neck Elementary School)	86.8	71.4	15.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waterford School District)	71.2	56.5	14.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	58.1	51.3	6.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Great Neck Elementary School)	79.2	71.4	7.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Waterford School District)	61.3	56.5	4.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	46.5	41.8	4.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	316	313	0.9%
African American	9	2	77.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	13	8	38.5%
Hispanic	36	69	91.7%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	247	214	13.4%
Two or More Races	11	19	72.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.1%	24.9%	4.2%

Schools Near Great Neck Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)	SBAC English Language Arts (2024)			SBAC Mathematics (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Great Neck Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	165 Great Neck Rd.	Waterford	06385	New London County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 442-2593	334	30	11.0	24.3%	244 (73.1%)	2 (0.6%)	54 (16.2%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.8%)	73.8	151^st of 497 public elementary schools	69.6%		80.4	112^th of 491 public elementary schools	77.2%	39			67.4	71.9	64.2	67.4	58.6	$22,337
Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School	Public, Magnet	K-5	37 Beech Drive	New London	06320	New London County	New London School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-6060	471	48	9.9	81.7%	79 (16.8%)	75 (15.9%)	246 (52.2%)	7 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	62 (13.2%)	7.4	460^th of 497 public elementary schools	7.4%		10.2	426^th of 491 public elementary schools	13.2%	34	18.3	20.6	24.1	13.3		14.5		$25,896
The Friendship School	Public, Magnet	PK-K	24 Rope Ferry Rd.	Waterford	06385	New London County	Learn	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-4049	459	29	15.8	61.7%	159 (34.6%)	33 (7.2%)	190 (41.4%)	16 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (13.3%)								(n/a)								$17,897
C.B. Jennings International Elementary Magnet	Public, Magnet	K-5	50 Mercer Street	New London	06320	New London County	New London School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-6050	463	43	10.7	90.7%	32 (6.9%)	74 (16.0%)	316 (68.3%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	33 (7.1%)	5.4	485^th of 497 public elementary schools	2.4%		9.1	443^rd of 491 public elementary schools	9.8%	42	18.3	17.2	16.3	12.0	15.8	12.8		$23,205
Regional Multicultural Magnet School	Public, Magnet	K-5	1 Bulkeley Place	New London	06320	New London County	Learn	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 437-7775	495	38	13.2	68.3%	106 (21.4%)	56 (11.3%)	251 (50.7%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (15.2%)	19.4	367^th of 497 public elementary schools	26.2%		35.3	299^th of 491 public elementary schools	39.1%	68		18.4	39.3	37.7	28.9	34.5	27.3	$20,404
Niantic Center School	Public	K-4	7 West Main St.	Niantic	06357	New London County	East Lyme School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 739-3961	190	20	9.5	21.1%	149 (78.4%)	3 (1.6%)	18 (9.5%)	5 (2.6%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.8%)								(n/a)			81.4		79.2			$22,857
Oswegatchie Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	470 Boston Post Rd.	Waterford	06385	New London County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 442-4331	296	28	10.4	28.0%	215 (72.6%)	4 (1.4%)	52 (17.6%)	14 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (3.4%)	73.5	152^nd of 497 public elementary schools	69.4%		65.6	182^nd of 491 public elementary schools	62.9%	30		57.1			73.2	70.5		$22,322
Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School	Public, Magnet	K-5	74 Grove Street	New London	06320	New London County	New London School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-6070	479	43	11.1	75.8%	72 (15.0%)	82 (17.1%)	255 (53.2%)	6 (1.3%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	60 (12.5%)	22.5	358^th of 497 public elementary schools	28.0%		33.3	310^th of 491 public elementary schools	36.9%	48	42.1	26.9	30.5	39.5	37.7	32.6	28.9	$24,230
Catherine Kolnaski Magnet School	Public, Magnet	K-5	500 Poquonnock Rd.	Groton	06340	New London County	Groton School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 449-5608	369	33	11.2	53.4%	142 (38.5%)	19 (5.1%)	99 (26.8%)	35 (9.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	72 (19.5%)	56.4	220^th of 497 public elementary schools	55.7%		33.3	309^th of 491 public elementary schools	37.1%	89	67.2	47.4	54.7	69.0	50.9	35.8	55.2	$20,689
Lillie B. Haynes School	Public	K-4	29 Society Rd.	Niantic	06357	New London County	East Lyme School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 739-2922	349	30	11.5	27.5%	220 (63.0%)	9 (2.6%)	43 (12.3%)	57 (16.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.7%)	77.3	130^th of 497 public elementary schools	73.8%		72	154^th of 491 public elementary schools	68.6%	24		61.8	71.0		63.6	75.8		$22,041

Frequently Asked Questions about Great Neck Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Great Neck Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Great Neck Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Clark Lane Middle School
High : Waterford High School

How many students attend Great Neck Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 334 students attended Great Neck Elementary School.

Is Great Neck Elementary School a good school?

Great Neck Elementary School ranks 151^st of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Great Neck Elementary School?

Students at Great Neck Elementary School are 73% White, 16% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Great Neck Elementary School in?

Waterford School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.